SARATOGA SPRINGS -- A November traffic stop sparked a nine-month investigation into a marijuana trafficking ring that stretched from Canada to the Capital Region, police said.

The investigation led to the arrests of nine people police said participated in a pot pipeline that funneled between 50 and 75 pounds of the drug per week into Saratoga Springs, Albany, Troy and Clifton Park.

Saratoga Springs police Lt. Gregory Veitch said police found several pounds of pot during a city traffic stop of Christopher Redding, 28, of Massena. Redding's arrest led police to a Lincoln Avenue home where Veitch said officers found evidence of the large-scale drug operation.

Two of those arrested were local residents: Charles Bushey, 29, of Troy, and Kyle Macduff, 22, of Cohoes. Both were charged with criminal possession of marijuana and conspiracy. Veitch said the nine arrests occurred at different times over the past two months.

Matthew Dillon, 29, of Fort Covington, and Aaron Vice, 32, of Massena, were the leaders of the pot ring, Veitch said. Each was charged in U.S. District Court in Albany with possession with intent to distribute over 50 kilograms of marijuana and conspiracy to distribute over 50 kilograms of marijuana.

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Bushey and Macduff, and others arrested were arraigned in local courts. Others arrested, all on charges of conspiracy, possession of marijuana, or both, were: John Snow, 27, of Hogansburgh; Margaret Jacobs, 34, of Fort Covington; Austin Thompson, 18, of Akwesane, Canada; Danielle Bevins, 32, of Plattsburgh; and Danny Kelley, 57, of Massena.

Veitch said 50 pounds of marijuana were seized in the bust, which was conducted by city police and the Capital Region Drug Enforcement Task Force.

The cases against Vice and Dillon will be federally prosecuted. The cases against the other suspects will be handled by Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy III's office.